A Mhiner's Tale
by theiflord
Summary: Nehib Mhiner, a freelance assassin gets recruited by the dark brotherhood. Mainly follows the db story-line but with an intriguing twist in the tale. Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

Hey this is my first Fan Fic hope you enjoy it. Reviews would be great!

***Nehib Mhiner: Castle Leyawin, Leyawin***

I felt the blood pounding in my ears, the adrenalin flowing through my veins and the rush, the high, which comes with a perfect kill enveloping my mind. Bliss was the only word for it. Pure bliss. I sighed a very satisfied sigh as I withdrew the blade, savouring the sweet hiss of finely sliced flesh. The Imperial's eyes now a bloodshot red, along with most of his clothes and bed sheets. I always feel a twinge of sadness before killing one of my own but that's always overcome very quickly indeed.

I admired my handy work. Everything was perfect. He was spread eagled on his back, one fine slit through his heart, almost invisible. Everything was red, did I mention that, blood red; my preferred colour in any situation. Blood soaked everything, its surprising how much you can get from a clean stab to the heart.

As I left the room I passed the two guards each with their throat slit. I darted down the stairs and out of the private chambers. With her husband in his current state the countess was going to have a shock when she got back from the Imperial City.

Sorry, I'm being rude. Caught up in the kill I suppose. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Nehib Mhiner. 20, Imperial, short black hair, green eyes. My job? A freelance assassin and I'm bloody good at it if you'll excuse the pun.

I darted through the streets of Leyawin; it was Tirdas, 12 pm. I had hoped to be out of the castle by 11 but there were some complications which took a while to deal with. As a result of this my client, an Argonian by the name of Acts Swiftly would have left our meeting place half an hour ago. I decided to pay him a visit at home.

I always do some digging on my clients before meeting them, discover their possible motives ect. Acts Swiftly had a brother who was tortured and killed by the count, well known for being racist towards argonians. Evidently Acts Swiftly wanted revenge and Acts Swiftly had gold, five thousand septims worth.

To my surprise the door was already unlocked. That wasn't good. If a door's supposed to be locked it's supposed to be locked. I had a feeling we had an unwelcome visitor. With my hand on the hilt of my sword I slipped in and closed the door silently behind me. I made my way to the first floor, where the bedroom of the argonian was located. There was someone else in here. I could sense it. The bed was in the right hand corner of the room. Walking over I could feel a presence behind me.

"If I was to turn the lights on now would I find a blade embedded in my argonian friend?"

"Oh no, I'm far more discreet than that." A voice, deep, gravely, menacing came from behind. Drawing my weapon I turned around and shot a spark from my fingers towards a ceiling lamp.

Illuminated in front of me was a large figure. Over 6ft he towered above me, a cloak and hood both as black as the void masked his face.

"Why did you kill him?" I asked, my voice steady, not showing fear even though I was scared. Slightly.

"He was," The man paused, considering the right choice of words, "an inconvenience."

Not a problem, not a threat but an inconvenience. This man was a cold blooded killer. This wasn't just a random stab in the dark murder. The killer had an agenda. I glanced in the mirror next to the figure. Reflected I could see the lifeless eyes of the argonian were facing the ceiling. As was his back.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"You, I want you."

"Then you'll have to fight me because I don't intend to give myself over to you without a fight."

"You misunderstand me child" he replied, his voice cool and unwaverd.

"Don't call me a child with one pivot I could slash your throat and drop your lifeless body to the ground".

"You have a sharp tong. Child." He was trying to provoke.

"And I have a sharper blade."

"Very well Mr Mhiner, please sit. I only want to talk." With that he sat down on a chair to his left and crossed his hands on his lap. I wondered if this was a trick to get me to lower my guard but there was something about him. Something about the way that he moved and the way that he conducted himself smoothly and elegantly. So I sat still with my sword in hand.

"Thank you," he said, "allow me to introduce myself Mr Mhiner. I am Lucien Lachance, speaker for the Black Hand and I come to you with a very special opportunity to join out rather unique family."

The backhand? I had never heard of it but the part about a unique family intrigued me. I decided to remain silent.

"You prefer silence do you? As do I my dear child. For isn't silence the symphony of Sithis himself?" Sithis, Dark Brotherhood. My level of curiosity had risen. Significantly.

"Sithis?" I said, "Dark Brotherhood?"

"Very good my child" Still with the child I noticed. I decided to let it slide. "The Night mother has been watching you. Admiring as you kill without pity or remorse. Smiling as you smile when you take a life. Join us. Join the brotherhood, join our family. And kill for Sithis. The reward will be much greater than any cheap argonian gold."

The gold. My 5 thousand septims. "It just happens that I was looking forward to my gold Mr Lachance. Double it before we talk any further.

He laughed and I flinched. "Very well, how much."

"His price was ten thousand septims" I lied. Suddenly an overwhelming force struck me and threw my out of my chair. My back smashed against the stone wall.

I tried to scream out in pain but it was plucked from my lungs by some invisible force. Lucien Lachance was still sitting there his elbow on the table somehow he seemed to be holding me up with his mind, using the two fingers pointed at me to channel this unexplainable power.

"I can take a threat Mr Mhiner, they are empty. I can take an insult they are weak. But I cannot and will not take a lie. The argonian offered you five thousand and because of your insolence you shall only get that."

With a flick of his wrist I fell to the floor. Trying to muster up what little dignity I had left I dusted myself off and sat back down. Now I was scared. I had never met anyone who could move a man with his mind before. Move objects maybe but never a person.

"It's a gift from Sithis my child." His voice was back to the normal, if you can call it that, cold lifeless tone. "It is a special," again he searched for a word, "ability, of all members of the brotherhood. Now Nehib, what do you say to my little offer?"


	2. Chapter 2

***Nehib Mhiner: The Archer's Paradox, Bravil***

I fingered my way through the different bows hung on the wall. If I was going to complete my initiation into the Dark Brotherhood then I would have to be prepared.

Lucien had told me that to be initiated into the brotherhood I would have to kill a man named Rufio who lived at the Inn Of Ill Omen, near Bravil. He told me that it wouldn't be a hard kill but "Sithis needs his soul" and I was to give him it. The target himself is going to be easy to take down, an old man living alone off the beaten track. But it's an inn which means there are going to be witnesses, lots of them.

I picked out an ebony bow, it seemed fitting that it was so dark seen as I was going to use it to join a group of feared assassins. The string was tight yet springy and the surface was polished and smooth. Perfect. I took that and a quiver of steel arrows to the counter.

"Thank you very much Sir" Said the wood elf behind the counter, "That will be 120 septims please"

"Certainly" I payed with the money Lucien had given me, albeit grudgingly. Off to the In Of Ill Omen then. Suddenly I realised, I had no idea how long it would take me to get there from Bravil. One, two days? Less? More? "I wonder if you can help," I asked the elf, "a friend of mine owns the inn of ill omen, it's up the green road and I thought I would pay him a visit. Have you any idea how long it would take to get there"

"Hrm," he pondered on my question for a while before answering. "I've been there a couple of times on my way to restock from the Imperial City. It's a rat infested hole just to warn you, no one there apart from the land lord and a few ugly tenants."

I smiled at him, "friends are friends" I said.  
"Well indeed Mr…"

"Mhiner, Nehib Mhiner"

"Well Mr Mhiner I would say it's about 2 day's walking, 3 tops." I thanked him and began to leave. Then I realised something. He knew my name. He knew where I was heading. I'm sure if a murder was discovered at the Inn he could piece two and two together. Discreetly I swung my new bow off my shoulder and knocked an arrow.

"Oh by the way," I said before swinging the bow round and releasing the arrow. I breathed in the satisfying thud as the arrow embedded itself in the wood elf's heart and slipped out the door.

Two days of woodland hiking later and I had arrived at the Inn. The Bosmer _is _right I thought! It was shabby, the vines on the rotting wood were brown and the roof had quite a large hole in it. Was right I reminded myself. The Bosmer _was _right. Outside there was a Breton woman arching at targets and, I noticed, hitting the centre of the target every time.  
"Why sweet Akatosh!" She said when she saw me, "are my eyes deceiving me or are you a customer?"

"Yes ma'am I am" I said, "Can I just go right in?"

"Yes, yes certainly, please do. Although be gentle with the door, the hinges are rusty. It wouldn't be the first time it's fallen in."

Stepping inside the place was as much of a mess as it was from the outside. Directly opposite from me was a Large, dirty (obviously) Nord. "My God" he said "a customer! Come come take a seat take a seat!" I sat down at the bar and tossed a few coins at him. "Thank you kind sir" said the nord and produced a rather dirty looking mug frothing with beer. I took a sip and put it down on the counter. As I did the Breton came in from outside slinging her bow up next to the door. And after her a legionary, a member of the imperial legion.

Crap.

Obviously I was going to have to kill everyone here, witnesses and all that but not that there was a legionary here… The thing about legionaries, and not many people know this, is that they have panic buttons on their armour. One press and every guard from here to skyrim comes running. I was going to have to kill this one first. And very quickly.

"What brings you here anyway" Said the Breton, "I'm Rossanha by the way, the big brute over there is Menhim."

"Oh, I'm on business, on my way to Skingrad."

"Well it's nice to have some patronage at last" boomed Menhim "all we got is old Rufio downstairs." He sighed.

"Pay's his keep though" Rossanha commented, "but between you and me," she lowered her voice, "I think he's hiding from someone. He talks in his sleep, always says that he didn't mean to do something and that she wouldn't stay still."

"He's a killer?" I said

"Lets not jump to conclusions now!" said the Legionary, "lucky I'm off duty now or I'd have to investigate!" He laughed and chucked a handful l of coins at the bar in return for two beers. I decided now was the best time to make my move. I had it all carefully calculated. He would die first, and then the Breton who I realised could string and fire her bow in a matter of seconds and then finally the nord.

I was going to have to be quick. Lucien had given me a gift before we had parted ways. A black ebony blade. Beautiful and sleek. It had the word woe carved on the side which I thought was very fitting. Palming the blade I walked over to the legionary and in one swift move grabbed his head and brought the blade to his neck and I slit his throat.

He gargled as blood poured out of him and was dead within a matter of seconds. Turning I saw the Breton with a look of total shock on her face. She reached for her bow but I threw the dagger at her. It spun through the air and landed square in her chest the force flinging her back against the wall. Finally I turned to the Nord. He backed up against the wall as I drew my new silver short sword from my belt.

He bellowed as I jumped up onto the bar, sending glasses flying and pivoted a full 360 degrees holding my sword out. The blade spun round and collided with his neck taking his head of and sending it flying towards the stairs.

I love the deadly silence after a murder. It makes me feel so powerful, so alive. I went over to the Breton who wasn't completely dead yet. Drawing my sword again I retrieved the blade of woe and held the short sword above my head, plunging it down into her stomach.

With a sadistic grin on my face I located the door to the basement and climbed down leaving a blood soaked room behind me. .


End file.
